This application hereby incorporates by reference the following co-assigned patent application which describes related subject matter in greater detail: xe2x80x9cDEVICE WITH CONVERGED FUNCTIONALITYxe2x80x9d, filed application Ser. No. 08/828,992 Mar. 31, 1997 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,259,440, issued Jul. 10, 2001); inventors: Mark P. Vaughan, Thomas J. Brase, Drew S. Johnson, Kevin J. Brusky, and Brian V. Belmont.
1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to control schemes usable in devices with integrated multiple functional modalities, which devices can operate, for example, with a host of audio/video sources. More particularly, the present invention is drawn to an intelligent pause and resume setting scheme preferably operable with a Digital Versatile/Video Disc (DVD) source, which source may be integrated within a convergence device system.
2. Description of Related Art
Achieving convergence of various information, entertainment and communications technologies has become a much sought-after goal. A highly visible example of this trend is the attempt to integrate computer technologies (such as, for example, personal computer technologies) with consumer/home electronics technologies (such as, for example, television technologies, video game technologies, video telephony, video/laser disc technologies, et cetera). It is hoped that one of the products of this convergence will be a single integrated device for information, entertainment and communications, which device can, at least in part, utilize the available communications bandwidth, mass storage and graphics handling capabilities of the personal computer (PC) to deliver, store and display a variety of applications so as to provide a seamlessly unified audio-visual environment to consumers.
In spite of many recent advances in this area, several problems persist. One of the more significant problems is the difficulty of providing to a consumer (alternatively, a user or viewer) means for effective yet seamless and graceful management of the display of video sequences associated with one or more video sources, preferably all in one machine, with the option of selectable video sourcing or switching. In particular, when the user experience of the video sequences is alternated between two video sources or when there is a background non-video activity with which a video-based activity is to be switched, it is generally preferable that such transitions are not only smooth and intuitively appealing, but also that they do not detrimentally affect other aspects of the user experience. It can be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that the need to address and obviate such problems is especially pronounced in cases wherein currently available advanced storage technologies such as, for example, the Digital Versatile/Video Disc (DVD) technology, are integrated with a highly converged device that offers multiple modes of xe2x80x9cfunctionalities.xe2x80x9d In simple terms, there are so many factors involved that providing easy, but effective, video program control is difficult in highly converged devices. A commonly-owned, pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/828,992 entitled xe2x80x9cDEVICE WITH CONVERGED FUNCTIONALITYxe2x80x9d, filed Mar. 31, 1997 (inventors: Mark P. Vaughan, Thomas J. Brase, Drew S. Johnson, Kevin J. Brusky, and Brian V. Belmont) describes subject matter related to such a highly converged device in greater detail and is incorporated herein by reference.
Because the teachings of the present invention are exemplified in relation to various aspects of DVD technology, particularly when integrated with a convergence device, a brief description thereof is deemed appropriate and is provided immediately hereinbelow.
The DVD technology is an advanced, digital storage technology for video, audio, data, and any combination thereof, and is centered around a new medium (a laser-readable disc) capable of storing up to about 17 Gigabytes of information. As is known in the art, the copious amount of digital information is provided on the disc in accordance with a standardized format. Analogous to current consumer electronics formats, it is useful to visualize the DVD format technology as a total system that comprises a mastering facility, a physical storage/distribution medium (the disc itself) and a player. The mastering process may typically comprise several steps which include inserting various codes for controlling the presentation of video/audio information (also known as content); compressing the raw video information into a known format (for example, the Motion Picture Experts Group-2, or, MPEG-2, format) using a process called variable bit rate encoding; compressing the audio information also into a known format such as, for example, the Dolby(copyright) AC3 Surround Sound format; and combining the compressed audio and video information into a single, encoded data stream for producing a xe2x80x9cmasterxe2x80x9d and generating copies (i.e., laser-readable discs) therefrom.
FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of a typical DVD mastering system 100 for effectuating some of the steps described above. Inputs from a master video tape 102 and a master audio tape 104 are provided to a variable bit rate (VBR) encoder 106 and a suitable audio encoder 108, respectively. The encoders 106 and 108, in turn, are managed via content/quality control block 110 so as to provide compressed and encoded video and audio to a multiplexer/formatter 112 for generating a combined audio/video data stream. An emulator 114 is provided to simulate the playback of the data stream. A master disc 116 is then created using the xe2x80x9cimagexe2x80x9d of the DVD data steam which may have been written to a data tape beforehand. Using replicators, a content provider may mass-produce DVD discs for market consumption by xe2x80x9cpressingxe2x80x9d the master 116.
The digital information on a DVD disc is organized in a well-known hierarchical file structure which allows not only a plethora of desirable features such as, for example, multiple aspect ratios, multiple language tracks and subtitles, multiple camera angles, and rudimentary forms of parental control, but also a presentation technique for allowing and facilitating user interactivity via an overlaid graphics tool, called an on-screen display (OSD) tool.
FIG. 2 depicts the block diagram of a typical DVD player 200 for the playback of a DVD disc 202. A disc reader mechanism is provided with the player 200, which mechanism comprises a motor 204 for spinning the disc 202 and a laser 206 that reads the digital information therefrom. Typically, the laser 206 is operable in the xe2x80x9credxe2x80x9d portion of the visible light spectrum. A DVD-compliant digital signal processor (DSP) 208 is provided in a feedback arrangement with the disc reader mechanism for translating the laser pulses generated from the laser 206 back into electrical form.
At the heart of the player 200 is a digital audio/video (AV) decoder 210 that receives electrical signals from the DSP 208 for further processing. The AV decoder 210 comprises several important functional blocks which act on the received electrical signals at various stages of processing. The composite signal information is initially separated by a demultiplexer 212 which provides video content stream to a video decoder 214, compressed bitmaps to a subpicture processor 216, and audio content stream to an appropriate audio decoder 218. The subpicture processor 216 provides the processed subpicture information to an OSD graphics tool 220. A video multiplexer 222 controllably presents the decoded video information from the video decoder 214 and the output from the OSD graphics tool 220 to an appropriate TV signal encoder 224 (compliant with, for example, the National Television Standards Committee (NTSC) signal format, or the Phase Alternate Line (PAL) signal format), which then provides a suitable TV signal to a TV (not shown) for playback. The decoded audio information from the audio decoder 218 may be provided to an appropriate audio system which may or may not be integrated with the TV. A microcontroller 226 is provided as part of the DVD player 200 for supervising the operation thereof. As can be readily seen, the microcontroller 226 may be engaged by the user via a remote control or front panel 228 for translating user inputs into commands for the audio/video decoder 210 and/or the disc reading mechanism of the player 200.
It can be appreciated that the DVD technology comprising the DVD discs and suitable players therefor provides significant advances over conventional media for content presentation to viewers. Because of the digitization of the content and a standardized hierarchical organization thereof in a title, DVD technology offers a wide-ranging menu of choices and options to viewers. However, in some aspects, current DVD implementations may be considered rather deficient. For example, in a typical DVD arrangement, there is no provision for intelligently pausing and resuming the playback of a DVD program sequence, especially when multiple video sources are being used and switched. This deficiency arises in current implementations due, at least in part, to the manner in which a consumer electronics DVD player such as, for example, the player 200 described hereinabove, is typically configured for home entertainment. It is known that a DVD player is typically mated with a consumer electronics TV. In general, the TV has no awareness that the DVD player is providing input to the TV. Likewise, the DVD player has no awareness about what audio/video (AV) source the viewer is currently watching on the TV screen.
Accordingly, it can be readily envisioned that when the viewer desires to switch between the DVD input and the received TV signal input, there might be reduced quality associated with the viewer experience of either programming. For instance, imagine that the viewer is watching a DVD program on the primary viewing area of the display monitor. The viewer is also xe2x80x9cmonitoringxe2x80x9d a TV program (for example, xe2x80x9cthe big gamexe2x80x9d) on a secondary viewing area (for example, a picture-in-picture or xe2x80x9cPIPxe2x80x9d area). If a particularly exciting sequence occurs in xe2x80x9cthe big game,xe2x80x9d the viewer may want to quickly swap that sequence onto the primary area and stream the DVD input to the PIP viewing area. It can be seen that in conventional implementations the DVD player continues to stream the program sequence to the PIP area and accordingly, the viewer experience thereof is diminished to the extent when the viewer switches it back to the primary area, a certain length of the DVD program has elapsed without the viewer fully experiencing it.
Moreover, where an attempt to integrate a DVD player into a convergence-type device is to be made, additional problems may arise. For example, executing a DVD title on a convergence-type device could be computationally intensive, even when the DVD input is switched onto a PIP area or onto a partially or completely hidden window. It can be appreciated that this computational load may lead to a significant deterioration in performance that is directed to the primary viewing area or is otherwise associated with the processor controlling the convergence-type device.
Therefore, based on the foregoing, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that there is a need for a solution that addresses these shortcomings in current implementations of DVD technology. Although several DVD systems presently exist, no current system is known to have all of the advantages and novel features of the present invention, described and claimed hereinbelow, which advantageously provides a system and method for overcoming the above-mentioned deficiencies.
In one aspect, the present invention is drawn to a method of managing the viewing experience associated with two video sources, a first source for providing a first video sequence and a second source for providing a second video sequence, comprising the steps of: streaming the first video sequence onto a primary viewing surface; streaming the second video sequence onto a secondary viewing surface; routing the first video sequence to the secondary viewing surface responsive to a first input by a user, wherein the first video sequence is paused pursuant to the routing step; directing the second video sequence to the primary viewing surface; and resuming the first video sequence when the first video sequence is routed back to the primary viewing surface, responsive to a second input by the user.
In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a system for managing the viewing experience associated with two video sources, a first source for providing a first video sequence and a second source for providing a second video sequence, comprising: means for swapping the first video sequence and the second video sequence between first and second viewing surfaces responsive to a first input by a user, wherein the first video sequence is paused when swapped to the secondary viewing surface; and means for re-swapping the first video sequence and the second video sequence between the second and first viewing surfaces responsive to a second input by the user, wherein the first video sequence automatically resumes when swapped back to the primary surface.
In yet another aspect, the present invention relates to a system including a display monitor, comprising: a computer subsystem, the computer subsystem for facilitating switching between a first activity and a second activity, wherein the first activity comprises a primary experience of a user; and input means to indicate that the user desires to effectuate the second activity.